Silver 2 rubles Russia 2016 – set of 3 coins from the “Red Book” series

The “Red Book” series of coins is dedicated to animals, birds, insects and plants that are considered rare or endangered. Thus, the Central Bank draws attention to the problem of their maintenance and restoration, environmental protection and nature conservation.

The Red Book coins have been minted since 1992 in various denominations and from various materials. Thus, from 1992 to 2007, silver coins with a face value of 1 ruble were issued, starting from 2008 and until 2019 – with a face value of 2 rubles.

The 2016 set consists of 3 silver coins.

1) Manul (lat. Otocolobus manul) is a predatory mammal of the cat family, the second name of this animal is Pallas’s cat, in honor of the biologist Peter Pallas, who first discovered it and described it in his notes. Pallas’s cat is an endangered species, listed in the International Red Book, the International Convention CITES and the Red Book of the Russian Federation (category 3 (rare in its habitat)). The Pallas’s cat is protected in all countries in which it lives; hunting it is strictly prohibited and is considered poaching. Due to the rather poor knowledge of this animal, measures to protect it are at the development stage. In the future, it is planned to create special reserves and reserves in which Pallas’ cats will be able to live in natural conditions, and scientists will study them without creating inconvenience for these unusual wild cats.

Denomination: 2 rubles
Metal: 925 silver
Weight: 17g
Diameter: 33mm
Issue limit: 5000

2) The red kite (lat. Milvus milvus) is a medium-sized bird of prey, quite elegant, with elongated wings and a narrow, long, extremely mobile tail. The plumage is reddish-red, the head is gray with dark spots, the tail is reddish. The inside of the wing has a characteristic light-dark pattern. A rare species, the total number in the world is estimated at 17-28 thousand pairs. Protected by various national and international agreements: included in the List of Rare Birds of the Baltic Region.

Denomination: 2 rubles
Metal: 925 silver
Weight: 17g
Diameter: 33mm
Circulation: 7000

3) Chinese windmill (lat. Atrophaneura alcinous) is a diurnal butterfly of the swallowtail family. Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation (category 1 – endangered species). The Chinese windmill’s wingspan is approximately 90 mm. Butterflies give birth to two generations a year, flying from late May to mid-June and from late July to August. The total number of these butterflies is very low and is at a critical level.

Denomination: 2 rubles
Metal: 925 silver
Weight: 17g
Diameter: 33mm
Circulation: 7000

Certificates of authenticity included.